Date: (enter today’s date)

 

The Honorable (Senator’s name)

Senate Education Committee

State Capitol, Room (room # - see info. sheet)

Sacramento, CA. 95814

 

Re: (Your name)’s support for SB741                 Requested Position:SUPPORT

 

Dear (Senator’s name),

 

I am writing to express my support for SB741 (Ducheny), the average daily attendance bill for highly accountable charter schools, as well as to request your support for SB741 in the Senate Education Committee hearing on Wednesday, April 13th, 2005.

 

I am a teacher with Connecting Waters Charter School (CWCS), a personalized learning school. As a Personalized learning school CWCS provides a part-time classroom learning model that tailors learning to the needs of its students and provides greater flexibility to accommodate the needs of adult-aged students whose life circumstances may prevent them from attending adult education programs to earn their high school diploma. Thousands of adult aged students seeking high school diplomas are severely restricted from attending scheduled classes by low paying jobs with inflexible hours, family responsibilities, single parent responsibilities, or by even more severe limitations such as drug or crime recovery programs. Providing these adult aged students with access to a more flexible Personalized Learning model like ours can help these individuals earn their high school diplomas and qualify for high paying jobs that will lead them to be more productive and successful citizens. .[If appropriate, place your comments of how your adult aged  students have benefited from the education offered by CWCS here]

 

SB741 reinstates the opportunity for a limited number of adult pupils over the age of 19 to earn their high school diplomas by enrolling in highly accountable charter schools. SB741 allows enrollment of a limited number of students over the age of 19 only in charter schools that have demonstrated high standards of accountability and a demonstrated track record of serving adult aged students successfully. SB741 requires that charter schools demonstrate these high standards of accountability by being in good standing with the California Department of Education (CDE) and by qualifying as at least a candidate for WASC accreditation. Only qualifying charter schools that meet these conditions of high accountability and prior experience in serving adult aged students successfully may receive apportionment for enrolling students who are 20 years of age or older. The CDE already has the information through current process required to evaluate and qualify these charter school programs, so there is no additional fiscal impact on process. SB741 allows for a very limited number of students to enroll in qualifying charter schools in year one, with provisions for a very moderate increase annually thereafter, and a program sunset after five years so that the amount of apportionment may be fiscally controlled in a responsible manner.
 

SB741 makes good common sense to maintain fiscal responsibility, hold charter schools accountable, and provide an opportunity for adult-aged students with limited opportunities and severe life circumstances to earn their high school diploma and become successful, productive citizens. Please join us in supporting SB741.

 

Sincerely,

 

 

(Your name)

Teacher, Connecting Waters Charter School

(phone number – optional)